The little girl and the mum
The young man, who reportedly absconded after allegedly defiling a four-year-old girl at Assin Adadientem in the Central Region, has been arrested.
The suspect, whose name was simply given as Kwabena, was arrested by the police on Sunday, Director of Public Affairs, Ghana Police Service, DSP Shiella Abayie-Buckman, confirmed to 3news.com.
Attempts to bring Kwabena to book were hampered when he was allegedly cleared of any wrongdoing by the ‘gods’ of Adadientem through the local chief.
The action of the chief sparked public anger, with a section of the public also protesting the police’s lukewarm response to the case, even when the victim was battling for her life at the hospital.
When civil society and the media started mounting pressure on the authorities to take action, Kwabena reportedly went into hiding until his arrest on Sunday.
However, information gathered by 3news.com suggests that Kwabena is a minor and may go through the juvenile justice system.
Meanwhile, the police have received the medical report on examination of the defiled toddler, but would not discuss details of it.
According to DSP Abayie-Buckman, “The law dictates that any charge preferred against a suspect or accused is supported by evidence. And for a charge of defilement, the medical report forms part of the substantial evidence that prosecution must present. Therefore, assuming without admitting that the medical report put together with all other pieces of evidence does not support a charge of defilement, then the police will have no other choice than to lay the appropriate charge which will be supported by the evidence gathered.”
She declared, “We must also note that the Police Service takes advice from the Attorney-General regarding these cases, so people should not hasten to judge; we should all allow due process to be followed so that due justice is served.”